Comparing precision lysimeter rainfall measurements against rain gauges in a coastal dune belt, Spain

Precipitation measurements are performed mostly by simple automatic rain gauges installed at a certain level above the ground surface, but these methods are often affected by significant measurement errors due to the deformation of the wind field above the rain gauge orifice. In recent years precision lysimeters have emerged, providing an efficient means to improve rainfall measurements and to check the reliability of the standard devices. This article reports comparative rainfall measurements by different devices including a precision lysimeter, two tipping bucket rain gauges and one weighing rain gauge. Rainfall and meteorological data were collected within 3–4.5 years of operation using intervals of 1, 10 and 30 min for registration providing a large data set of exclusively rainfall precipitation without snow and without the effect of freezing. Results show very good agreement of lysimeter, tipping bucket 1 and the weighing pluviometer measurements without any need of precipitation correction, whereas tipping bucket 2 rain gauge underestimated precipitation.

We are very grateful to André Peters for providing the AWAT filter and give special thanks to Fernando Ruiz Bermudo, Antonio Nicolas Martínez and Daniel Jesus Martínez for their excellent technical assistance and support. We are grateful for the support and collaboration of the Biological Station of Doñana, the Biological Reserve of Doñana, and the administration of the Doñana National Park. This work has been financed by the CLIGRO Project (MICINN, CGL2016-77473-C3-1-R) of the Spanish National Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation. The infrastructure has been co-financed by European Research Funds (SE Scientific Infrastructures and Techniques and Equipment 2013, IGME13-1E-2113). The participation of Maarten W. Saaltink has been co-financed by the Agency for Management of University and Research Grants of the Generalitat de Catalunya (AGAUR: 2017 SGR 1485).

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Postprint (author's final draft)